Government seeks universal freezing order against Omokore, Aluko

The Federal Government has filed a motion before a Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking a mareva injunction, directing 19 Nigerian banks, eight foreign banks and eight local and international firms to freeze the funds and assets they hold on behalf of international businessmen, Mr. Jide Omokore and Mr. Kola Aluko as well as their firms, Atlantic Energy Concept Nigeria Limited (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited (AEBD).

Both men allegedly had business ties with the past administration.

Other plaintiffs in the suit are Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The government is also seeking an order to freeze several local and international luxury properties owned by the defendants, including the Galatica Star, a $50 million “Super yatch” owned by Mr. Aluko and three private jets.

According to the motion ex-parte filed by their lead counsel Oladipo Okpeseyi, the Federal Government prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants from “giving any sale or transfer instruction, demanding, accepting or receiving any payment or sale or dividend on the shares owned by the defendants,” in any of the eight local and international companies.

The company include Mia Hotels Limited, First Motors Limited, V.I Petrochemical, Evergreen Realty and Management, Ox Trade Limited, De First Union Integrated Services, Amity Plus Limited, and Seven Energy International Limited.

The government is also asking the court for an order to “confiscate within seven days of all sums of money and negotiable instruments of credit of the defendants domestic accounts held in 19 domestic banks.

The government estimated the total sum held by the defendants to be $1.76 billion.

The plaintiffs also prayed the court for an order for a freeze on sale or mortgage on the following properties of the defendants in Nigeria and abroad.

They are Houses on 755 Sarbonne Road, Los Angeles, 952 North Alphine Drive, Los Angeles, 815 Cima Del Mondo, Los Angeles, 1049 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1948 and 1952 Tollis Avenue, Santa Barbara, 157 West 57thStreet, New York, and 4100 Le Reve Dubai.